Hope, British Columbia

Monday 5th July - Monday 12th July 1999

Downtown Vancouver is located on a peninsula jutting out into the Burrard Inlet. The northern half of the peninsula is given over to Stanley Park, with well-organised walkways and cycle paths and a number of attractions. The path around the coast of the park is just over 5 miles long, and walking around it is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon, although there were precious few pedestrians when we were there - most people seemed to be either on bike or on roller blades. There are a number of shops specialising in renting out bikes and roller blades by the hour to tourists (shopping around is a good idea, as prices vary considerably. There are a number of beaches along the path, with such imaginative names as "Second Beach" and "Third Beach", where the water is clean enough to swim in. Having said that, it's probably best to stick to designated beach areas, since there are several signs suggesting hidden underwater dangers, like sharp rocks and strong currents; after all, this is the ocean we're talking about here.

Veronika at Ferguson Point in Stanley Park, with North Vancouver in the background

On the north side of Stanley Park sits Siwash Rock, a tall pinnacle just a few feet from the shoreline. Local Salish legend has it that Siwash, a brave warrior, was rewarded for his brave deeds by being turned into rock so that he could guard his favourite location for all eternity. Improbably, a stubborn tree clings to life on top of the rock. More prosaically, on the walkway there is a plaque to commemorate a young boy who apparently "forgot" that the tide was low, and attempted to jump of the top of the rock into the water, crashing to his death on the rocks below in 1966.

Siwash Rock, Stanley Park, Vancouver. Note the improbable tree on top

As we wandered on the final stages of our journey around Stanley Park, I thought I heard the distinctive sound of leather on willow. On checking my map, I discovered that indeed there was a cricket pitch in the park, and as we came to the top of a small rise, I saw a cricket match in progress. I have to admit that this was not something I had expected to see in Canada which, even more so than my native Scotland, is not famed for its love of the delights of cricket. Still, though, it was amusing to see, and it was obviously well organised - there were actually two wickets laid out, as well as a fairly substantial pavillion in place, replete with scoreboard. There was even a small crowd gathered around watching the game, although admittedly the couple in front of us seemed more bemused than engrossed in the spectacle.

Cricket in Stanley Park, Vancouver

In common with many North American cities, Vancouver does not have much left of its old town, as almost everything has succumbed to redevelopment. Moreover, European settlement in this part of Canada has a relatively short history, so there never really was an "old" town to begin with. The nearest Vancouver comes to it is an area called Gastown. The western edge of Gastown is marked by the harbour, but its most famous attraction is the Gastown steam clock. Completed in 1977, the clock is almost entirely steam-powered and was built to cover a steam vent. On the hour, it chimes with a gust of steam and is a favourite spot for tourist photography. Needless to say, I was no exception.

Veronika and Slobodan, our host, in front of the Gastown steam clock

Previous | Next | Travel index | Family history | Romany | Main index